Today, smartphone applications are available in so many iterations that it’s almost impossible to know which ones are worth the memory they’ll consume on your smart phone. When you’re searching for the best and most useful applications, you’re actually looking for those that will simplify your busy life. And when you’re on the road, apps can help you do everything from organizing your travel itinerary to finding the cleanest bathrooms.
If you’re planning a road trip — maybe to the next Comic Con, or that Star Trek convention you’ve always wanted to attend, these are going to be must-have apps:
Tripit
The TripIt cross-country road trip planner can help you plan a great getaway that includes sights to see along your route. You can print maps with the TripIt app, and if you lose them, you can still access your travel plans from your smartphone.
SitorSquat
When you’re on the road, you never know what you’ll encounter in the way of public restrooms. But thanks to Charmin toilet paper’s app called SitorSquat, you can find a clean pit stop destination. You can search for nearby restrooms, map their location and read user reviews. Whether you’re on a long trip or a short Sunday drive, you’ll be able to avoid nightmarish bathrooms.
Urbanspoon
Don’t be deceived by the name: This handy restaurant-locating app covers the entire United States and Canada, not just urban areas. Urbanspoon allows you to find restaurants while you’re on the road, and you can filter searches by cuisine or price. If you’re in a large city, you can even filter by neighborhood. Easy access to user reviews can help you learn more about a restaurant’s specialty – or, what’s not so special about it. And you can even make a reservation with this app, so your table will be ready when you arrive.
Audible
If you enjoy listening to audio books while you travel, Audible is a great application for you. The application lets you access your Audible library wirelessly; you can then listen to books from your smart phone, which can relieve boredom on long stretches of highway.
Wi-Fi Finder
Especially handy for the business traveler, Wi-Fi Finder can tell you where the nearest available Wi-Fi hotspot locations are, and which ones can be accessed for free. It will even map your route to get there, and you can filter by location – a handy feature, if you prefer accessing the Internet in a coffee shop rather than a hotel.
Concluding thoughts
The market is full of apps that can make your life easier when you’re on the road. And many of those apps have practical uses when you’re closer to home, too. So pick a few useful apps for your next road trip, and enjoy explore new ways to use them when you get back home.
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